Wetton – Downes – Icon 3 – review

April 11, 2009
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It’s great to see John Wetton and Geoffrey Downes continue their partnership outside their work from Asia. Asia has been touring steadily for the last couple years but Wetton and Downes still managed to find time to write, perform and record as “Wetton/Downes”. With the recently released third album titled, Icon 3, I’d have to say that it is their strongest effort yet. I’m not sure if it had anything to do with Wetton’s health problems back in 2007 but the project seems to have a purpose and drive that wasn’t really present on their lackluster debut album back in 2004. With nicely developed melodies and instrumental arrangements, Icon 3 is chock full of big choruses the writing duo has been known for since their first big hit with Asia’s Heat of the Moment back in 1982. Highlights on the album include the tracks – “Destiny”, “Raven”, “Anna’s Kiss”, and “Never Thought I’d See You Again”. Unfortunately, there are some clunkers on the album most likely due to their tight recording schedule. The song “Sex, Power and Money” just doesn’t go anywhere. Other songs like “Don’t Go Out Tonight” and “Peace in Our Time” feel incomplete with interesting verses that lead into weakly constructed choruses. I don’t know about you but the line “don’t go out tonight, stay at home and watch some TV..” sounds kinda lame to me. I’m pretty sure if they had more time to work on some of these songs in between their Asia commitments, the album would have been a whole lot stronger.

retroGrade: B-

Wetton/Downes
Icon 3
label: Frontiers Records
released: April 2009

TrackList:
1 Twice the Man I Was 4:42
2 Destiny 5:22
3 Green Lights and Blue Skies 4:25
4 Raven 3:57
5 My Life Is in Your Hands 6:21
6 Sex, Power and Money 4:28
7 Anna’s Kiss [instrumental] 4:30
8 Under the Sky 4:54
9 Don’t Go out Tonight 4:05
10 Never Thought I’d See You Again 5:04
11 Peace in Our Time 5:39

all songs written by John Wetton and Geoff Downes

musicians:
John Wetton: Vocals, Basses
Geoffrey Downes: Keyboards, Vocoder
Dave Kilminster: Guitars
Peter Riley: Drums
Hugh McDowell: Cello
Ann-Marie Helder: additional vocals
Andreas Vollenweider: Harp



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Related posts:

  1. Asia Concert Review – Raleigh Memorial Auditorium – Omega 2010 Tour
  2. upcoming Wetton Downes dates
  3. Wetton/Downes – back in the studio
  4. Phoenix by Asia
  5. John Wetton

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music, reviews by retroDan

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